Reflections from the West Midlands Care Conference
I recently spoke at the West Midlands Care Conference, delivering a 45 minute session to registered managers from care homes and home care services. The session explored leadership and culture through the All Blacks philosophy of Sweeping the Sheds, and how this directly supports what the CQC describes as a well led service. Although the metaphor comes from elite sport, the principles are highly relevant to care leadership and regulatory expectations.
How Sweeping the Sheds Aligns with CQC Well Led
The CQC is clear that well led services have a shared purpose and culture, where values are understood and lived at all levels. Sweeping the Sheds reinforces the idea that culture is created through behaviour, not statements. When leaders demonstrate humility, ownership and high standards, teams understand what is expected without it needing to be written down.
At AshwellCare, this thinking has directly shaped our six pillars — Fair, Openness, Caring, Ambitious, Self Confident and Trusting — which guide decision making, leadership behaviour and everyday practice.
Do We Treat Our Staff the Way We Want Them to Treat Our Clients?
A key question explored in the session was: Do we treat our staff in the same way we expect them to treat the people we support?
This question sits at the heart of both good leadership and CQC expectations around culture. The experience of staff directly impacts the experience of people using the service. When staff feel respected, listened to and supported, they are far more likely to deliver care that is compassionate, consistent and person centred. This principle has been instrumental in shaping how we lead at Ashwell and is embedded within our six pillars.
Leadership is what you walk past.
Aligned to CQC Expectations Around Oversight and Governance
CQC looks for leaders who have clear oversight of their service and who act when things are not right. The idea that standards are set by what leaders walk past is particularly relevant here. Whether it is poor practice, low morale or a concern raised quietly by a team member, leadership response matters.
Effective leaders do not ignore these moments. They address them early, fairly and consistently, creating a culture of openness and continuous improvement.
A Culture of Openness, Learning and Improvement
CQC expects services to have an open culture where staff feel safe to speak up and where learning is prioritised over blame. Many of the most important leadership moments are unseen. They happen in conversations, in how mistakes are handled, and in whether leaders create psychological safety.
Sweeping the Sheds reminds us that leadership responsibility does not disappear when no one is watching. These unseen moments are often the strongest indicators of a well led service.
The Impact on Staff, Stability and Care Quality
From a regulatory perspective, leadership culture has a direct impact on outcomes CQC cares about. When leaders model values, treat staff with care and uphold standards:
• Staff retention improves
• Absence and burnout reduce
• Concerns are raised earlier
• Care becomes more consistent and person centred
This is not about being less accountable. It is about being more effective.
Why this Matters for Registered Managers
Registered managers are under increasing pressure to evidence leadership, culture and governance. The message shared at the conference was not about adding complexity, but about simplifying leadership back to behaviours that align naturally with CQC Well led expectations.
When leaders sweep the sheds, treat their staff with dignity and live their values consistently, regulatory confidence follows.
Final Reflections
The conference reinforced a shared understanding across the sector. Well led services are built on leadership behaviour, not just leadership roles.
At AshwellCare, the principle of treating staff the way we want them to treat our clients is fundamental to our six pillars and central to how we evidence being well led, because when leadership culture is strong, care quality, staff experience and regulatory outcomes all improve together.